Monster Energy Supercross’ lone visit to California’s Bay Area brought the best dirt and one of the most difficult tracks of the 2014 season inside Oakland’s O.co Coliseum. There was great racing all night and it was the first time riders really pushed it to the limits and let their bikes do the work. The champ Ryan Villopoto made his biggest statement thus far while the racing gods continued to smile down on Jason Anderson.

Each week, The Holeshot will provide 22 takeaways – a full starting gate – from the most recent round of action.

1. Riders were vocal about how great the dirt was in Oakland and it was obvious simply by looking at it. Following three weeks of dry, hard-packed dirt that cool, moist air ultimately makes slick, the world’s best riders were greeted with tacky soil full of grip. For the normal fan, the dirt is something that is taken for granted when watching a race, but it can play a huge role in the level of competition.